A shocking video circulating across social media platforms has sparked public outrage after showing a young boy, estimated to be no more than ten years old, skillfully operating an excavator believed to be on an illegal mining (galamsey) site.

In the footage, the child—bare-chested and visibly underage—struggles to reach the machine’s pedals as he maneuvers the heavy-duty earth-moving equipment.

The setting, though yet to be verified, appears to be a mining concession deep within a rural area, reinforcing fears that illegal mining operations continue to thrive across parts of the country despite government interventions.

The video, which has gone viral on X (formerly Twitter), TikTok, and Facebook, has drawn widespread condemnation from child rights advocates, environmental activists, and concerned citizens.

Many described it as a disturbing reflection of how deeply entrenched the galamsey trade has become in Ghana’s social and economic fabric.

Observers note that a child of that age should be in school, not behind the controls of an excavator—a machine that requires expertise, safety training, and physical strength to handle.

Instead, the young boy is seen performing tasks typically reserved for trained operators, suggesting a normalization of illegal mining activities within some communities.

Excavator operators play a crucial role in the galamsey business, as their work directly affects the extraction and processing of gold from unregulated sites.

The fact that a minor is being used in such a dangerous and illegal operation points to not only the disregard for child welfare but also the failure of oversight by local authorities.

The incident has reignited calls for stricter enforcement of mining laws, increased surveillance in known galamsey hotspots, and a renewed commitment to safeguarding children from exploitation.

As investigations continue to identify the location and those responsible, the video stands as a painful reminder that the fight against galamsey is far from over—and that its human cost extends well beyond environmental destruction to include the innocence of Ghana’s children.

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